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Proportional representation

Letters

Editor:

This is a federal election year, and whether we like it or not, the subject of fair representation will be on the agenda.

There is a national organization that is dedicated to changing our electoral system. It is called Fair Vote Canada (www.fairvote.ca). It is a grassroots, non-partisan and non-profit organization.

There are efforts to start a local chapter for the purpose of promoting the idea of electoral reform and to have discussions regarding the various systems in place.

Fair Vote Canada wants to demand a national referendum, shortly after the next general election. There are many members of all political parties who support electoral reform. As many may recall, we had a referendum in B.C. that passed with 59 per cent of the vote. It did not pass because the threshold was set at 60 per cent.

It also did not pass, to my judgment, because the question was too complex. Many people did not quite understand it and therefore voted “no.”

One of the goals of Fair Vote Canada is to prevent the failure of a next referendum due to a less than clear question.

We need interested volunteers, willing to spread the idea of proportional representation and to discuss the various systems in existence and to adapt them.

Goze Vlasblom, West Sechelt